LATE STARTER FAQS
SHOULD I JOIN A CLUB?
Damien Clayton: “Getting involved with Regents Park Rouleurs was the biggest step for me, because I developed a strong friendship with six guys, and it was our bond that led us to racing. We trained all of the time, there was a high probability that I could ride with at least one or two every day, and we learned from each other.”
CAN I LEARN FROM OTHER SPORTS?
Dani Christmas: “It definitely helps to have done another sport. You know about training, travelling, preparation, pressure. There are lessons you can apply, but you also have to unlearn things.”
Brodie Chapman: “I played Aussie rules football and soccer, so I had to understand teamwork and that I had a role to play in a team. Cycling changes from an individual pursuit to a team sport once you move up the ranks, and I was able to confront that easily.”
Clayton: “I was decent at motocross as a child, and that helped me to quickly develop the ability to read a cycling race well. Tactics came quickly.”
SHOULD I CHANGE MY DIET?
Andrew Bruce: “A few years ago I started using an app, Myfitnesspal, to measure my calorific intake and it was an eye-opener to how easy it is to overeat. It also highlighted how little iron was in my diet despite having a relatively healthy diet. Your ability to recover diminishes when you get older and I had to address things.”
Alex Spratt: “Cyclists are massively obsessed with their weight. Just chill. I still drink and eat what most would class as rubbish and I feel great. There’s always room for a cider, a beer, a glass of wine and chocolate.”
HOW DO I COPE WITH INJURY SETBACKS?
Chapman: “Read about other athletes and their injuries and let them inspire you. Realise you’re not alone to gain experience and perspective. Accept it sucks, accept you won’t be super-happy and that you won’t do what you love to do for some while, but you don’t have to be super-depressed. Reschedule your goals and use that same attitude towards training and goals and apply it in injury rehab.”
SHOULD I SPEND A LOT OF MONEY?
Bruce: “I got to third cat by racing on an Orbea bike that I bought through a cycle-to-work scheme and it took me four years to buy a power meter. The equipment doesn’t make any difference in comparison to training, until you get to first cat or elite.”
CAN I MAKE BIG PLANS?
Christmas: “When I started, my goal was to compete at the very highest level, to ride for GB at a World Championships. Each win is a stepping stone in the process – each one is motivating, a tick in the box, and you can tick off all the learning experiences.”